South Louisiana native Al "Lil Fats" Jackson grew up steeped in classic New Orleans rhythm and blues, with his grandmother's Vet's Club roadhouse booking names like Fats Domino, Lloyd Price, and Tommy Ridgely. Hearing his idol's records on the club jukebox as a very young child, he picked up several instruments in high school and became a professional musician with a voice so close to Domino's that it earned him his nickname — and won over Fats Domino himself.
Today Lil Fats is a popular entertainer at festivals around the Gulf South and a regular presence on New Orleans stages. He has played the Blues Tent at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, shared the stage with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band for their Dave Bartholomew tribute at Jazz Fest 2022, starred in the theatrical production Walking to New Orleans alongside Shamarr Allen, and performed a Piano Hour virtual concert for the New Orleans Jazz Museum.
His shows return again and again to the St. John Theatre in Reserve, Louisiana, and draw crowds from the French Quarter Festival to Covington's Fuhrmann Auditorium. With his smooth voice and soulful setlist — Fats Domino classics alongside Frankie Ford and Huey "Piano" Smith — Lil Fats keeps the sound of New Orleans R&B's golden era alive for every new audience.
